Police have been ordered to act decisively against threats, incitement and violence linked to planned anti-immigration protests scheduled for June 30, with Deputy Minister of Police Polly Boshielo warning that law enforcement will not tolerate vigilantism, xenophobia or mob justice.
Addressing members of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) at the State of Readiness Parade on Friday, Boshielo said authorities were preparing for potential unrest following social media campaigns calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa by the end of June.
While organisers have publicly described the planned actions as peaceful protests, Boshielo said previous demonstrations linked to the campaign had been associated with violence, looting and destruction of property.
“There will be no tolerance for vigilantism, no tolerance for xenophobic or any type of violence, no tolerance for intimidation and no tolerance for anyone, no matter who they are, who thinks they can decide who may or may not live in our communities,” she said.
The Deputy Minister accused organisers of spreading misinformation by claiming government was doing little to address illegal immigration, saying thousands of undocumented foreign nationals are deported annually and efforts to strengthen border management are ongoing.
She described those blaming foreign nationals for South Africa’s socio-economic challenges as “part of the problem”.
“This small minority of misguided people who think that our deep-rooted social and economic problems can simply be solved by targeting foreign nationals, are themselves part of the problem,” Boshielo said.
The address served as a direct operational briefing to police, metro police departments, intelligence structures, private security companies and other law enforcement agencies ahead of the planned demonstrations.
Boshielo instructed officers to focus on preventing violence before it occurs rather than merely responding after incidents have broken out.
“We are not deploying you to respond to violence that is or has already happened. We are deploying you to prevent violence from happening in the first place,” she said.
Police have been ordered to increase visible patrols, intervene early where intelligence indicates potential threats, and work closely with community leaders to discourage violence.
The Deputy Minister also warned that authorities would target those using digital platforms to spread hate speech or coordinate attacks.
“We must not only arrest the foot soldiers; we must also go after those who sit behind keyboards spreading hate and giving instructions to burn, loot and attack,” she said.
In a further warning, Boshielo said anyone threatening foreign nationals or encouraging violence would face criminal investigation.
“Anyone who threatens violence against foreign nationals, who incites others to attack or loot, who spreads messages that call for harm, will be treated as a criminal suspect,” she said.
Law enforcement officers were instructed to investigate threats, trace the origin of inflammatory messages and make arrests where evidence supports criminal charges.
Boshielo emphasised that South Africa’s Constitution protects all people living in the country, regardless of nationality or immigration status, while stressing that immigration laws must still be enforced through lawful processes.
“*Your job is not to take sides based on nationality, language, or origin. Your job is to take the side of the law,*” she told officers.
The deployment forms part of a coordinated NATJOINTS operation involving the South African Police Service, metropolitan police departments, municipal law enforcement agencies and private security partners.
Boshielo framed the operation as a test of South Africa’s democratic values and the police service’s constitutional mandate.
“I want history to record that in 2026, the men and women of South African law enforcement and their partners chose the Constitution over hatred, the rule of law over the rule of the mob, and human dignity over fear,” she said.
IOL News
